While any team appearing in a national cup final clearly have an opportunity to make history, the St Johnstone class of 2014 have earned a special place in Scottish football folklore before a ball is kicked at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.

Astonishingly for a club with 130 years of history, this will be St Johnstone's maiden Scottish Cup final appearance. It seems appropriate that Tayside rivals, Dundee United, are the Perth club's opponents.

Yet St Johnstone's manager, Tommy Wright, bristles when it is put to him that reaching this showpiece game is a worthwhile achievement in itself. A crowd of around 45,000 is expected in Glasgow for the final, which will confirm three different winners of Scotland's three biggest honours this season.

"We did ask the players to create history by getting to the final but the job is not done," said Wright. "Everyone has given us praise and plaudits for being the first St Johnstone team to get [there].

"You hear people say: 'We think your name is on the cup this year,' and there probably has been that thought for a while. There is a level of excitement, and the players are aware of the occasion and what it would mean to the club. But when the whistle goes the players will only be concentrating on trying to win a game of football. You have to make sure they don't let the occasion take over because, if that happens, Dundee United are a very good side and we will end up not winning the cup. So we have to enjoy and embrace the occasion [without being] overcome by it. If we turn up, we believe we have a great a chance of winning."

Scouts from English clubs are expected to have eyes on, among others, St Johnstone's prolific forward, Stevie May. Wright has delayed contract extension talks with May until after the final.

"This season got better and better for him," said Wright of the man who has scored 27 times in this campaign. "He feels better playing regularly and playing in Scotland for at least another year, so hopefully we can get a deal sorted."

Wright acknowledges St Johnstone's home attendances are disappointing in the context of their success. "I hope being in the final will get people coming back," he said. "We finished third in the league last season and the crowds dropped by 500. This season we have played well at home, averaging two goals a game, but the figures are only a little bit up. We've had supporters' meetings but nobody has been able to put their finger on why. Getting even 500 more season tickets would make a huge impact on the finances and my budget."

United's hope stems from a youthful attack with a verve that helped them score 17 more goals over the league season than St Johnstone. United endured their own winless Scottish Cup run up until 1994 and regained the trophy four years ago. "I never go into that side of things," insisted the United manager, Jackie McNamara, who recently rebuffed an approach from Blackpool. "My focus is always on the players and how they handle it. [They] have short careers and you want to be remembered as a winner, to say that you've lifted a trophy and have the medal to show for it. It hasn't happened too often in this club's history.

"I have respect for St Johnstone and I know how hard a game it is going to be. They are very experienced and organised, know what they are doing and the midfielders work very hard for their defence.

"They have a good back four and at the other side they have the talisman of Stevie May, who has had a terrific season and can score a goal from nothing. That is something we have to be wary of and we have to concentrate fully."